Kathleen Hopewell News-Times
Originally published by the Carteret County News-Times
CEDAR POINT — A new political action committee, the Carteret Conservative Tea Party Patriots, has set up camp 20 feet from the established Crystal Coast Tea Party Patriots outside the Western Park Community Center polling site.
Despite sharing a right-leaning ideology, the same acronym — CCTPP — and many of the same endorsements, the new PAC has been met with a cold reception from its predecessor.
The two groups differ in their functions, their national affiliations and, most notably, their pick for Carteret County Commissioner District 1. Kenneth Lang, chairman of the Crystal Coast TPP communications committee, alleged the new PAC was formed solely to elect Steven Overby to the Board of Commissioners over incumbent David Quinn.
Blake Beadle, a former member of the Carteret County Board of Education and Board of Adjustments, formed the Carteret Conservative Tea Party Patriots in 2025 with about 10 other local Republicans. Beadle said he started the PAC to address “a gap that needs to be filled” among local conservative groups.
Beadle and his members took issue with the Crystal Coast TPP endorsing candidates who have raised local sales and property taxes. “A real conservative group doesn’t support tax increases like that,” Beadle said. He added that while the PAC is currently focused on the western part of the county, it aims to expand countywide.
The PAC is currently establishing fundraising mechanisms before donating to candidates. “I intend to heavily endorse candidates,” Beadle said.
Lang said in a phone interview with the News-Times that the original Crystal Coast TPP, founded in 2009, is not a PAC and cannot donate directly to candidates. Instead, it distributes palm cards at precincts. It does, however, work with the NC TEA PAC, which Lang founded in 2015.
Lang said members of the original group have questioned the new PAC’s legitimacy because it has not appeared in the North Carolina State Board of Elections campaign finance database. Lang said it was his understanding “that a complaint will be filed with the Board of Elections” regarding a perceived violation of campaign finance laws.
Beadle clarified the PAC is officially registered and has a tax ID number. He said the state Board of Elections told him a staffing shortage has caused a delay in processing and publishing documents. The state board confirmed the delay and suggested the database would be updated by Friday, Feb. 20.
The friction intensified Monday afternoon when Commissioner Quinn addressed the new group on Facebook. He wrote that the PAC “is not affiliated with the long-established Crystal Coast Tea Party many of you know and respect.” He described his campaign as being about “substance, not sideshows.”
The Crystal Coast TPP website also posted a warning in all-capital letters: “DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THE FAKE TEA PARTY GROUP AT WESTERN PARK POLLING PLACE.”
Both groups are stationed outside the Western Park Community Center early voting site. The site is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. through Feb. 28.
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